
Forrest Galante Speaks on Indian Billionaire’s Secret Wildlife Rescue Center and Near Death Experiences!
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B
I'm really jealous because I want to do one of my pods in the central viewing gallery.
A
So what area is this?
B
So this is called the central viewing gallery and there's five different enclosures. No, sorry, six different enclosures with all these windows. But as you can see, their enclosures go way back. So they're a huge area. But at night with the lights on and people in here, they just want to see what's going on.
A
This is crazy. So, yeah, no, we've been trying to do a pod with you for a while too.
B
Like going on a year.
A
I think we, we wanted to do it when Steiny was here. Brad was here too, but basically Steiny, he just completely bailed on this trip. I told, I told you a little bit about it. I think he's, I think he's like scared of international countries. Well, so even Dubai, we scared the shit out of him. I was surprised that he came to the tribe.
B
Yeah, me too.
A
But Dubai, he always passes up on anything international he's very scared of. But I'm, I cannot believe he missed this trip because like, what if you guys don't know we're in India right now. We're at a place called Vantara, which we'll talk about. We're going to talk a lot about it, but basically Forest, you hit us up and you were talking about it even during the tribe.
B
Yeah.
A
About the possible chance of us coming to India and basically seeing India like nobody ever sees it.
B
No.
A
And we've been here for about almost a week ish now and it has just been absolutely insane, mind blowing. It's been fucking. I knew it was going to be crazy based on what you said. But we are just mind blown at the hospitality and just like the way we're being treated, the things we're doing, the food, it's just been insane. So we can't thank you enough for.
B
It's my pleasure. I'm stoked you took me up on the offer because I love this place. I mean, I really do. I'm here just because I love it. No reason. And it's really cool because Indian culture is if you're a guest, you stand above all else. Like it is paramount to them here in India that if you're a guest that they treat you like royalty, like better than their own family. And it's. You're getting to experience it.
A
I mean, explain where we are and what your role is here and stuff like that and what we're doing in India.
B
Yeah, with pleasure. So as you know, to describe why I'm here, I'm seen as a pretty big authority on wildlife and I've been working with wildlife my whole life. And so I've heard about this place for several years and it's called Ventara and it's owned by one of the richest people in the world, Anatom Bonnie. And sort of similar to me, he's loved wildlife his entire life. When he was six years old, he used to run around the streets of Mumbai rescuing street chickens and taking them back to like his parents house. It started with that when he was 16, he rescued one elephant and he was like, where am I going to put that elephant? So he built that elephant facility, then he built another one, then he built another one. So he's been building this place for a while and it's growing at a rate that you cannot explain. So this is Ventara. It's the world's largest wildlife rescue and rehab facility. And every animal here has been rescued from all corners of the globe.
A
We've seen, I mean today we saw tigers, we saw lions, we saw bears, we saw elephants.
B
Yeah.
A
That were mistreated and stuff.
B
Like that circus fires and abused logging. Trade everything.
A
How did you first meet Mr. Ambani?
B
So because of what I do with wildlife, I had been told to him by several people that work here full time. They're like, you got to get this guy forest. You got to get this guy forest.
A
And have you seen how he, like, what is it like when he like, rolls around? We haven't met him yet, but we've heard, like, what, what does it look like when one of the richest people.
B
Like, I mean, you know how you've been treated since you've been here. Yeah, he rolls around on another level to that. But what's so great about him as a person is like, no, he does that when he has to for security reasons. Then he comes here and it'll just be him and I going for a walk for an hour talking about what's the best way to keep crocodiles. And we'll walk around for one hour and just discuss that and just be like, well, how do you, what do you think about this? Like, how many animals should we have in this pond? Like, is it too many? And it'll just be him and I at two in the morning walking around. So he's just like a very leveled headed down to earth guy. He's just come up in this crazy world, you know, I mean, like, nothing matters. Like, it's not about financial. It's about the realization that he's had, Anatombani has had, that wildlife is the most important thing on this planet. And to me, while all these other billionaires are in like a dick measuring contest to race to space, he's like, I'm just gonna save what's on the planet, which I think's awesome.
A
The tribe video we did, I know you guys, everybody loved that video that we did.
B
Oh, good.
A
Like, they loved it.
B
It was a lot of fun.
A
That tribe was like, a lot of people were saying it was like fake or like, what can you say about it on the legitimate legitimacy of it?
B
Oh, fully legitimate. Brett, who we hung out with, is only person that's ever been accepted into that tribe. We are one of a handful of Western groups that have ever been there. People think that tribes are like, you know, so deep in the jungle, they've never. They, some, some of them had cell phones. You know, they didn't work. There was no cell phone signal. You know, some of them had NFL like Super Bowl T shirts from 2002. You know, like, they get stuff, but they're still a remote tribe that are still primarily uncontacted you know, like, yes, other missionaries have been there. That's why some of them are Christian. But it's not like there's tours over there. You know what I mean? You saw.
A
Yeah, no, that was. That was as remote as it gets.
B
What?
A
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B
Yeah, we've been chased around a lot. I mean, that's about as remote as a tribe gets. But I've had way scarier run ins. Like, we were sentenced to life in prison in Myanmar for smuggling a drone into the country during the Rohingya massacre, which was this big, like, religious massacre. We got chased out of Mozambique by corrupt government officials because of some, like, nefarious activity With Chinese loggers. I mean, we've had some, like, pretty crazy stuff. We've been shot at, like, we've had some crazy stuff.
A
How did you, like, start?
B
I mean, I grew up in Africa. I grew up in Zimbabwe. And my family, like, we had a small bush plane because my family ran safari businesses. So we just traveled all over Africa, as remote as we could get, like, you know, collecting artifacts, seeing wildlife. That's just like, what my family did. And I just sort of kept chasing that. And after school, after college, I was. I was like, I'm going to be a biologist. I'm going to change the world. I'm going to go save animals. And I came out of school and got a job as a biologist, and I was making like 14 bucks an hour being a field tech. So, like the guy who like, actually catches the rattlesnakes or the guy who puts collars on the foxes or whatever, and then I was really good at that, so I got promoted quickly. And then as soon as you get promoted in biology, that means you're working in an office writing grinds. So I got promoted and was like, I hate this. I want to go back to the field. I remember talking to my boss, Morgan. I was like, I want to go back to being a field tech. He's like, you're going to make half the money. I was like, I don't care. I'd rather be a field tech. So I hit a dead end in biology where I couldn't be doing the stuff I love. And I was like, this is a waste of time. So I made the jump from that to like, full on media, which is what, you know, I do. Conservation, communication now, basically.
A
What was like your first, like, big break with like, TV and stuff like that? Like, how'd you become like the force Galante that we know now?
B
I hate this question. My first big thing on TV is really funny. I got back from being a biologist, sat down on the couch. I'd been three months on a field survey and I was exhausted, like, roasting hot. Everything fell down on the couch and naked and afraid was on tv. You ever seen that show? Yeah, I did that show.
A
Okay, yeah, yeah.
B
That was my first foyer into tv. But, you know, like Survivor, the Bachelor, whatever. Thousands of people have done that show. I managed to take that. And while everybody else was like, crying or moaning or whining about surviving, I was like, out catching snakes and showing them the camera while my own snake was hanging out. And the producers were like, why are you doing this? I was like, I don't know. Snakes are cool. And then after that happened, I was like, all right, that reached 4 million people. Like, a paper that I wrote, academic paper reached 400. Like, why am I studying science? This is a waste. I'm not going to change a world doing this. So I just started pursuing media. And pursuing media took three years. From the day I decided that and quit my biology job until I got my first TV show pilot. I was living on fumes. I'd save up for like a month just to be able to fly to New York to pitch stuff and never got anything sold. Took three years.
A
And how'd you get good at the production side of stuff? Because you have, like, you obviously know your stuff when it comes to wildlife and all that with the knowledge, but you also know your shit when it comes to entertainment. I've noticed too.
B
Yeah, thanks. It's all learned. I mean, never taken a film studies class or anything like that in my life. It's all learned. But I started, my first series was called Extinct or Alive, where we look for extinct animals. And I was basically working for someone else. And I was watching how they did it and I was just very quietly observing and learning the whole time. And by the time season two came around as the biologist, they're like, what should we do? To me, I was like, well, if you want me to tell you what to do, I need to be a producer. I can't just be the on camera talent. And so I became a producer. And then after that I was like, well, I'm going to start my own company. Like, I get it. I've seen how this works and there's been some big ups and downs with that. Lost a lot of money, made money, like, pitched some terrible shows, had big failures, but it's all like trending in the right direction.
A
What's that business like with wildlife and production? Like, what, what have you noticed? Like, what are they looking to buy and like, what are you looking to shoot? You know what I mean by that?
B
Like, yeah, well, I don't have a British accent, so that doesn't help.
A
You're fucked with that.
B
I'm fucked? Yeah. Like, if you're just a British guy and you walk into a room in America, they're like, wow, take my money and make a wildlife.
A
Do you know all those narrators that do all those wildlife?
B
Yeah, all of them. Everybody.
A
I mean, I feel like they're like, cocky or like they're dicks for sure.
B
Yeah. British guys just like, think, think, you.
A
Know, I mean, if you Talk like that, too. You're probably fucking a lot of chicks, too.
B
Yeah. I mean, and good for, like, the.
A
Guys that narrate wildlife shit.
B
Oh, yeah. Like, they probably get laid, dude, in these little circles. Like, oh, man, I'm a. I'm a big deal in my tiny little world.
A
It's kind of a flex at a party. Like, if you say, like, what do you do? Like, I narrate. I narrate for National Geographic.
B
It's a flex at a party. If you're at a party with a bunch of nerds.
A
Yeah.
B
It's not a flex at a regular party.
A
It's not?
B
No.
A
I feel like that could work on chicks, honestly.
B
I mean, it's worked for me.
A
Yeah, but, like, the business of that, what are they? Is there a lot of show business.
B
With it or like, it's harder now because TV's just dying. Right. Like, I'm sure of everybody watching this. You're watching on YouTube. This episode is brought to you by Shopify.
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A
Like let's say some of the craziest stuff you filmed. How long do you have to like sit there and wait for like a shot Sometimes?
B
So long. So long.
A
Is there any story specific you could tell us this?
B
I don't do it anymore, to be honest. I used to do it in the early days. Now like some of my team who you met today, my camera guys will sit and do it, but they'll be sitting in a blind for days, six, seven days to get one shot.
A
Really?
B
Yeah. And the guys who do like the BBC stuff will sit for like six, seven weeks to get a shot.
A
So that's what I mean, if you're waiting six to seven weeks to get like a sick shot of a tiger.
B
Yeah.
A
How much are they paying for that shot?
B
Not much. Well. Oh, like they can't be company a lot. But those are like the big blue chip projects. Like Planet Blue Chip is like pure nature. Right. I've carved out a niche in like presenter led nature. So like I'll present a show or host a show or I sell shows with people presenting. They're a whole different ball game. Like those, those BBC projects are like $10 million an episode. My shows are like $200,000 an episode. They're a whole different like ball game. So we'll still like have a pretty small team and put in a lot of effort and time to make a show. But it's for me it's not about sitting on a mountain waiting for a snow leopard to come down the mountain. It's like, okay, I need to, I need to show what a snow leopard is. What do I need to do to get to the snow leopard? So while most guys will sit in a blind with a piece of bait waiting, I'll have to like go up the mountain and find the thing. And that's, that's harder.
A
Yeah, I, because honestly, on YouTube when I'm bored, I'll just watch animal videos too. Like I think I've seen every type of like predator attack video. Yeah, I love the predator ones.
B
That's great. I mean, we're surrounded by them.
A
This is crazy. Well, what was your craziest story with like a close call?
B
The closest call I've ever had is self induced and it was like three years ago now. And we're milking sea snakes. So we're. We're catching sea snakes in Australia to test their venom potency. And sea snakes are, like, 100 times more potent than a cobra, so, like, really deadly venom.
A
So a sneeze, a sea snake is in the water.
B
Yeah. Snake that lives in the sea.
A
Okay.
B
And we're catching. They have tiny mouths, tiny fangs. So you take the snakes and you pipette the, like, little, like, scientific tube, like, pipette the venom out of their fangs. And it's not, like, an exact science. So the venom was, like, dripping down the outside onto my fingers. And I started arguing with my cameraman, Mitch, literally, as I just finished milking the snake, I was like, dude, off. And I put my fingers in my eyes like this, and I thought I still had the venom on my fingers, and I was just like, oh, I just killed myself. Like, I just thought I'd rub sea snake venom in my eye ducts, which will enter straight into your bloodstream. And I was like, whoop. I just killed myself. Because I'm, like, a day from anything. Like, I'm not getting to a hospital. Nothing. And so for, like, six, seven hours, I was like, I'm definitely gonna die. I'm gonna fall over dead any minute. And it was just like, the anxiety of fighting that and not knowing what to do and being way too far. And, like, I didn't tell anybody on my team because I was like, I'll just stress them out, and that'll make me more stressed out. So I was like, all right, I'm just gonna. I'm just gonna wait. I'm gonna go to bed and hope I just don't wake up. And I just woke up the next morning. I was like, okay, didn't do it.
A
That's fucked. And you've been. You've been struck by lightning too, right? Yeah, you told the story, I'm sure.
B
But, yeah, we're filming a Garmin Watch commercial in the Everglades on the side of a road, very loop road. And I. There's, like, a thunderstorm. And my cameraman was like, dude, get out of the water. There's too much thunder. Like, I was like, shut up. Stop being such a. Like, nobody cares. And then literally, like, a minute later, Kyle was there. A minute later, the lightning hit the water, like, 15ft behind me.
A
And did you feel anything?
B
Oh, yeah. What it feel like my whole, like, legs went like jelly, and I was like. Like, couldn't walk. Like, every muscle in my legs and butt tightened up, and it was just for like a flash second where it all just contracted and then released. Then I like ran out of the water and had this crazy like adrenaline spike. But then when I came down from it, I had the taste of metal in my mouth for like a week. It just tasted like metal. I couldn't taste any food and my butt was super sore. Like I just done like a thousand squats. It was really weird.
A
Fucking insane. All right, guys, I want to give a shout out to our sponsor, the POD Shopify. I love this sponsor because it's so close to home. We have literally used Shopify from the very beginning, since day one to powerful send merch from the very beginning, from like 10 to 12 years ago. And now we use it for happy dad. We use it for board jerky. Shopify is literally the all in one e commerce platform that you guys need if you want to start a business. So if you guys have a new business idea that you guys want to start, Shopify is the only tool you need to start, run and grow your business and take it to the next level. They just make it so easy to get started, like the beginning stages. I remember when we were doing it, it's so easy to start and use it. Shopify is there for you every step of the way. From like, did we just get our first sale phase? To did we just make our first million? To watching 300,000 people on our website at one time. Shopify is there for you every step of the way. So guys, if you guys have a dream and you're watching and you want to start a business, there's never going to be a perfect time to do it. Start now. We have an exclusive offer for you guys. Go to shopify.com fullsend for a $1 per month free trial. That is a sweet deal if I've ever heard one. Shopify.com fullsend for a $1 per month free trial. If you have a business idea that you want to start, I'm telling you, Shopify is the king. No questions asked. Another thing I love about Shopify is their customer service. Because things are going to go wrong in in your business. They're there for you every step of the way. Shopify also powers 10% of e commerce worldwide and they're in over 170 countries. Starting a business in 2025 has a nice ring to it, boys. So go to shopify.com fullsend and get a $1 per month free trial. If you guys wanna take a chance and start a new business. That sounds pretty cheap. I Believe in you guys. Get it done. Go to Shopify. We'll see you guys soon. How did you, like, learn how to, like, be comfortable around, like, the predators and, like, stuff like that? Like, for example, when we were at the. When we did the tribe video, we went out on the boat.
B
Yeah.
A
And Forest pretty much told us that we were just going snorkeling. We're gonna see fish. And we get in the middle of the Pacific. It's the deepest blue water. Like, you look down, you can't see anything. Forest takes a fish, cuts up a bloody fish, puts a weight on his. We're all wearing life jackets.
B
Yeah.
A
This puts a weight on himself so he can sink and puts the bloody fish in his belt. And then just start swimming down to the bottom of the ocean with a water bottle, cracking it like this. And then all of a sudden, we look down and there's 50 sharks around us.
B
I've been.
A
But, like. So this is what I don't understand. Like, I was myself when I saw that. Like, what happens if, like, three of those sharks just, like, charge at us?
B
You're.
A
And you have a bloody fish on your body.
B
Yeah. And those sharks were gnarly there, too.
A
And they're chill, but they also would, like, speed up like crazy at certain times.
B
It's all calculated risks. So, like, you can read a situation. I look at the ocean, I go, all right, how many sharks are there? How fired up are they? Are they going to attack? Do I. Am I safe?
A
How do you know that, though?
B
So with sharks, and every single animal is different with sharks, are their backs arched? Are their pectoral fins locked out? Are their eyelids rolling back in their head? Like, what are the signs of aggression? If a shark's lazily swimming around, it's not in an attack mode or aggressive mode. If it starts arching its back and locking its fins, it means it's going to snap. Like today when we were rolling around and I showed you Pancham the tiger, I was like, see how he's flicking his tail? He's going to attack. What it take 30 seconds from when I said that and he attacked. If you don't study those animals, though, whether that's reading or personal observation or anything, you'd never know that. So I can see by looking at these guys body language, that animal is completely relaxed. You can go right up to the glass. He might want to play with you, but he's not going to attack you. Pantomime with the way he was hunched and his tail was flicking, that means he's aggressive.
A
But by then it's too late, right?
B
It's too late.
A
Like today we were walking by a tiger. A tiger. And it completely just charged the fence.
B
Yeah, it's crazy.
A
Like everyone shit their pants, dude.
B
And he went flying.
A
I actually had to go to the bathroom and wipe a little bit. Honestly, I think gambles did too, for sure. Have you, have you been in the ocean with great whites?
B
Oh yeah.
A
In the water?
B
Oh yeah. I'll take you by my house in Santa Barbara to do that.
A
To swim with great whites.
B
Yeah.
A
I don't know if I could do that.
B
It's pretty gnarly. You got to be in clear water, you got to judge the animals. Like how are they behaving, what's their body language?
A
And then that's, that's my, my biggest fear is sharks.
B
But the end of the day it's a risk no matter what. There's no way, like I, I don't care if you're friggin Ocean Ramsay or any of these, these people who are like the best shark divers in the world. Every single time you get in the water with a shark, it's a risk. The shark can just change its mind. Just like people.
A
Yeah.
B
Like if you're like, all right, I'm going to spar with somebody today ever, or start a bar fight, let's say it might be one in a thousand, might be one in a million, but at some point somebody's going to pull out a knife, you know what I mean? And that's how sharks are. That's our animals are. You can just find one that's just in a bad mood. And I've had a few of those where the shark just comes right at me.
A
Can you tell us the crazy shark story?
B
Oh yeah, sure. Let's see. What's my craziest shark story? My crazy shark story is probably when I was working with this tiger shark in the Maldives and it was coming in, it was circling around and I was like, okay, it's pretty chill. This is like a super wild tiger. It's never had people around and all of a sudden it like fucking took off. And I was like, oh, that was weird. Like it sped off at full speed and I looked over my shoulder and as I looked over my shoulder, this huge female tiger shark, I'm talking like 16, 17ft 2 ton tiger shark comes swimming in and bumps the back of my head with her, with her nose. And she was moving relatively slowly but her eyes had rolled back in her head. So she was just there to bite. And as I did that, I went like that and, like, pushed her up and literally another millisecond and she would have, like, crunched into my head. But I somehow had my hand in, like, a good spot to close her jaw from the bottom and push her head up and. Yeah. Just luckily didn't take my head off.
A
That's so fucked. Yeah. I don't see. I don't know. Like. Yeah, with animals, it's just so crazy because it's. It's so out of your control.
B
Steve Irwin said it best, right? He's like. He was referring to crocodiles, but he goes, animals, crocodiles are easy. They just want to fucking kill you. People are much more complicated because they pretend to be your friend first. And it's. It's so true. If you kind of live by that and just. Just read the situation, it's like, yeah, I got it. I know. With a crocodile, he wants to eat me the whole time. There's no world in which he doesn't. Same with these things.
A
And that. Was that your closest call ever with an animal?
B
Man, I've had some pretty. Pretty gnarly ones. I'm trying to think what else. I mean, I got bitten by a snake. That was pret. When I was younger, you know, Didn't.
A
Wasn't there a very close call with a lion?
B
Oh, yeah. See, it's so. It's like. It all fades out now. Yeah. I was darting lions in Zimbabwe and southern Zimbabwe, and I was tracking this big male lion to collar him on foot, and I put a dart into him, and I was like, all right, he's. He's going down. And then I tracked him for, like, another five minutes, and I was like, oh, he's falling asleep. Let's move in. And basically, as I reloaded the dart to move in, he took off and came right at me. And I just hit the ground flat. I was in full camo, and he was, like, drunk from the drugs, but he wasn't out. And he almost walked over me before I shot him again with the second dart. I mean, it was really close.
A
That's fucking insane.
B
Yeah, it was nuts.
A
We went up to. I don't want to say it, Rajakesh. I think it's something like that. Oh, yeah, it was amazingly beautiful. We met the, like. We met a monk there. We did whitewater rafting.
B
Oh, really?
A
Yeah, we did whitewater. We met, like, a monk.
B
Oh, sick.
A
Have you ever, like, interacted with.
B
I don't think so.
A
So this guy, he was pretty much in like an Osama bin Laden cave, like, straight up.
B
Oh, I saw the picture. Super skinny old guy.
A
So we walk up. We're in, like, the middle of the mountains, and we walk through a forest, and then he's in, like, this one, like, tomb. Like, we literally had to crawl to get in.
B
Yeah.
A
And it was, like, pretty much pitch black in there. And then we had to crawl through, like, another cave. And then he was in, like, underground tunnel.
B
And he lives there, and he was.
A
He lives there, and he was just, like, kind of had, like, white ashes on his face. And he was just completely, like, meditating, like, and he does it all day.
B
That's wild.
A
So we got to sit with him and, like, kind of talk to him about why he chose that lifestyle and stuff.
B
But did he talk to you? Was he.
A
Yeah, he. He talked to us. But, like, we were sitting by him at first, and, like, he didn't move a muscle. Like, he was just completely in his own.
B
No, you've had more crazy in the experiences because I just come here for this. I just come here for the animals. You guys have seen and done way more than I have in India.
A
Like, what's pretty crazy?
B
What's the craziest part of your whole trip so far?
A
I mean, that was pretty cool. There's been, like. We've gotten to see both sides now. Like, now we've seen the spiritual side, which was that, which was really cool. We got to talk to him. Baba, I guess he's a Baba. That's what they call it.
B
Does that mean Father?
A
I don't know what it means.
B
Huh.
A
But yeah, I mean, it was pretty cool. We talked to him, I guess so. His thing is, I guess in the Hindu religion, you, if you reach enlightenment, that means you won't be reincarnated. I don't know if that's completely accurate, but that's what he was. So he feels like he's. That's why he meditates pretty much 247 is because he's like. He thinks he's reached that point in life.
B
Oh, boy. Like Salim.
A
Oh, yeah. Actually, probably complete opposite of Salim. Saleem's complete opposite of Baba, pretty much. But we actually have, like, a pretty good fan base here, too, which is crazy.
B
I heard.
A
We went to the club the other night, and they, like, shut it down at 1:15am like, the cops pulled up. Like, I guess they'd never seen any. Any energy like that.
B
Oh, no.
A
The fans were just, like, fudgeing nuts, dude.
B
I'm in our group text, and you're like, bro, there's some guy knocking on my door.
A
Like, 4:30 fans are finding our room and calling us and stuff. It's cool.
B
Yeah. I've been called the. The Goat of bro conservationists. Like, I'm.
A
You really are.
B
For sure.
A
Like, you fit. You fit in with us so well. Like, you are definitely an honorary Nelson.
B
I'll take.
A
You're like an elk uncle as well.
B
Yes.
A
You, Dana White.
B
Yeah.
A
Yeah.
B
But I love it. And, like, I am a bro and you guys are bros. And we hit it off immediately. So I was like, bring these guys, man. Like, they're my friends. They'll love it here. Show people animals. Like, I get a kick out of showing you guys stuff.
A
Yeah.
B
And I know that that translates on camera.
A
Yeah. So how did you become close with Joe?
B
He hit me up on Instagram out of the blue and he's like, bro, you have the coolest Instagram in the world. Come tell some stories on my podcast. This is like back in the day.
A
And when was the first time you ever went on there?
B
2017 or 18. It's been a minute. Yeah, I'd have to check that, but it's been a while. And he was like, just come. Just come hang out in the pod. And it was already a big pod, don't get me wrong. But it wasn't like, what it is today, right? And we hung out, we ran on the pod. And afterwards he's like, dude, I'm obsessed with wolves. I was like, do you want me to take you to meet some wolves? He's like, no way. I was like, yeah, I'm friends with the guys who run the wolf center in California. And I was like, yeah. He's like, when can we go? I was like, Wednesday, I'm in. I'll cancel everything. So I grabbed him and we went and saw wolves and had a great day. We've just been friends ever since.
A
Where'd you guys go for that?
B
It's called Wolf Connection. It's in, like, outside of la, like two hours outside of la. And they just rescue wolves. Like, people get wolves as pets and think it's dope, but they live in, like, West Hollywood. And then a wolf is in like a one bedroom apartment, and so they just rescue all these wolves. And so I took them to meet some wolves there.
A
What'd you guys do? Did you guys, like, play with them and stuff and pet them?
B
Play wolves? I'll show you photos. We're scruffing them up and throwing, throwing, like, treats for him and, you know, full on because a lot of them were hand raised.
A
That's crazy. And then you guys just stayed friends after that.
B
And he'll text me anytime. He's like, this is like, is this real? Like, is this a real wildlife story? Like, recently we were talking about, like the largest crocodile in history. And I was explaining to him how, like, crocodiles grow until they die. It just slows down. So there could be 25 foot crocodiles that just have to be really old. And he's like, where would that be? And, you know, like, he's. It's similar to a knot. He's another wildlife nerd. Like, he'll just text me wildlife nerd questions. And like, it's really cool that I've formed this, like, clique of friends like Joe Rogan, Anatom, Bonnie, and, you know, a handful of others who are just super passionate about animals. That's the thing we all have in common. Like, my life, Joe's life, and Anat's life could not be more separate. But if we're in a room together, we're talking about one thing and so it brings us all together.
A
Yeah. It's crazy. It's crazy. Like, yeah, Joe's gotten so big too. It's crazy to just see how much of an impact, too, he played at the end of the election and stuff like that.
B
Yeah.
A
I mean, Trump, I was so happy that he had Trump on.
B
Was that the first time that a president's ever been on a podcast? It probably is. Right.
A
Maybe this election cycle.
B
But it was, in my opinion, an undeniably a deciding factor for the election.
A
I think it was everything. Yeah. I think the fact that Trump went on Joe Rogan and Kamala didn't go on Joe Rogan.
B
Totally.
A
I think that showed everybody totally that Trump was capable of, like, because, like, Joe's such a trusted guy.
B
Yeah.
A
Like, you know, that he's not going to sell out or he's not going to, like, be fake. Like, he's going to ask real questions too.
B
Right.
A
I think the fact that Trump went on his show and, like, Kamala didn't, in my opinion, I think it was like a huge deciding factor.
B
I think so too. And I mean, it was, it was sort of like, how real is this guy?
A
Exactly.
B
Because that's what Joe, you know, if.
A
You said if you could sit down with Joe Rogan, it's just like, just a conversation. It's just a conversation.
B
Yeah. And. Yeah. And, you know, whether they were good candidates or bad candidates, you never really knew who Kamala Harris was because you didn't listen to a three hour conversation with her ever, like, as far as I was aware. So, yeah, it just like it made people be like, oh, this guy's a good guy.
A
And it's just. Yeah, it's just crazy. Like I think I got what, 40 million plus?
B
I don't know.
A
Yeah, like first, I don't know. Just for such a normal guy to have that type of influence, it's like crazy. It's crazy.
B
Yeah, I mean the world's, the world's changing and for what you do and what I do, like the media landscape, it's really changing. I did all my come up in television and I'm still making TV shows. We got a bunch of series, bunch of Shark Weeks and stuff coming out this year. But that's circling the drain. Yeah, that's on its way out and I'm having way more fun doing this stuff. Yeah, dude, if I wasn't rolling around with you guys and the boys with the cameras today, like that's way more fun than doing Discovery Channel show. Yeah, all we do is prank each other and have fun all day. Are you kidding me?
A
How is. So you're doing Shark Week this year?
B
Yeah, two of them.
A
So what is that? What did that, what does that consist of?
B
This year we got two different shows. First one's in Australia and it's for a franchise that I've had for a number of years that really looks at like odd and bizarre sharks. I have to be careful what I say before they come out, but I mean, they take every view they can get at this point I would say. But yeah, so that's a franchise I've had for three years now. And then the second one' an all new concept that'll be in Florida.
A
And you do like, do you enjoy doing stuff like that still or you like, you like doing the. More the media stuff now?
B
I like doing both of it. I mean, Shark Week, still media, it's big, you know, it's, it's big TV thing. But Shark Week's fun, man. It's big production, big crew, lot of people, you know, real budget, big boats. Like we fly on helicopters and get like giant boats that we charter, like yachts that we live aboard for up to a month at a time. Like it's a real expedition. Like one in South Florida isn't. But most of our other ones are like big deals.
A
Fuckers are going ham.
B
Oh yeah, look at them having some games over there.
A
You just do the weirdest shit. Like the other day I hit forest Up. I'm like, what are you doing this week? Like, we're trying to figure out to do something or not. And you're like, oh, I got to go. You, like, castrate hippos in Colombia or some shit?
B
Yep.
A
What? What? Like, what?
B
So I. I've been working with the Colombian government. Coronare is the organization, and they're in charge with trying to create a solution with the cocaine hippos. So Pablo Escobar imported. He had a private zoo at Hacienda, which was like his big base. He imported four hippos. And when he got gunned down by his enemies, they took all the animals and moved them to zoos. But they're like, we can't move. These hippos are going to kill somebody. So they just opened the gates and let them out. Those four hippos have now multiplied over 200 and growing. Like that number exponentially increases every year because they're reproducing so fast. Because hippos are from Africa, they're not from Colombia. So Cornare, I'm friends with the guys that are in charge of that and stuff. And they're like, would you please come help us create a plan to solve this problem? So I was like, yeah, no problem. So me and the boys flew down there, built bomas, which are big, big, giant traps, and caught hippos and cut their nuts off.
A
Did you guys film that or not?
B
Oh, yeah, filmed it all.
A
Are you going to put that out on YouTub YouTube?
B
No, it's a Discover for Discovery show.
A
Yeah, that's nuts.
B
It's pretty wild. It's a rodeo too.
A
Because that's got to be one of the weirdest things you've done. No, it's pretty weird. Is there another weird request that you've ever got?
B
Weirder than cutting nuts off of hippos? I mean. No. That's probably the time.
A
Did you have to cut it yourself?
B
No, we do full field surgeries. Okay, so you tranquilize them. Yeah, put them down. Because you can't move a hippo and you have to do it overnight because it's too hot there during the day. So if you tranquilize them during the day, they. They cook and die. They overheat and die. So you gotta dart them at night and then you're literally doing surgery from like 7pm until like 2, 3 in the morning. And like, if it's female, female castration is way more complicated. So it's like big incision, full on, like, like castration and close them up. And if it's a male. You just kind of. But yeah, it's. It's pretty wild. And hippos are a rodeo. Like, they charge at you. And we're building these, like, pretty shitty bomas, and bomas collapse. It's crazy.
A
Damn. So that's got to be the craziest thing or, like, the weirdest request you've ever gotten, dude.
B
I mean, you know, catching hippos, cutting their nuts off, looking for lost species, finding eggs of really rare things to try and hatch them and bring them back, reintroducing animals into the wild, it's. It's just a full gamut. And I'll do any of them I have time for.
A
Is there a rare species you think that exists that you're, like, searching for?
B
You know, I spent a lot of time working on. On animals that were believed extinct, and I found eight of them. Eight animals that had previously been lost to science. And those expeditions are so taxing. Like, you spend months in the field and hundreds of game cameras and, like, thousands of hours, and it takes huge amounts of money to do those expeditions. So I used to focus on them a lot. I'd love to do more in the future, but for now, I've sort of, like, opened the umbrella of conservation. I would rather be here helping reintroduce 42 spix macaws back into the wild than looking for the last spix macaw. Do you know what I mean? Like, finding the last one is amazing. It makes me feel cool as the guy who found it and all of that, but putting 42 of them back into the wild, that's, like, fixing the problem.
A
That's. Yeah, it's more useful. But is there any, like, rare? Like, like, is there any truth to, like, Bigfoot or Loch Ness Monster?
B
I don't think so. I have a theory about Loch Ness Monster.
A
What?
B
It's a whale's dick.
A
Really?
B
I think so.
A
So what, some Scottish guy was just out there hammered and he just saw whale's dick, bro.
B
I got to show you this picture. I don't know if you want to do phones on the pod, but it's fun. It's. I have this side by side that I'll show you. And when whales get an erection, they have this long ass, like red rock.
A
Whales have huge horns.
B
Huge, huge. And I am fairly certain that some whales have come into the lock because it's connected and rolled over, being horny. And at sunset, people are seeing this giant pink serpent and going, yeah, that's the Loch Ness Monster. Look at this thing. Hold on, I'll show you guys. Could put it on the pod.
A
Just what I wanted to do on a Monday night in India. Look at a whale's cock, dude.
B
Wait till you see it though. Tell me that's not the Loch Ness monster though.
A
Damn right. That does look like the Loch Ness monster.
B
Look at that sucker.
A
It was just a whale's the whole time.
B
It's whale dick, bro, I'm telling you.
A
Holy.
B
That makes sense.
A
How about Bigfoot? There's no truth to Bigfoot.
B
No, I don't think so. People get so upset every time I say that because there's so many Bigfoot fanatics, but I don't think so. And there's like science behind that, you know. There has never been a great ape in North America. Bigfoot would be an ape. That's what it would be, right? Like a gorilla or something or. There's never been. There's no primates in North America. Their primates are. There are new world primates and old world primates. Primates start in basically Central America. There's never been monkeys in North America. There's nothing for a Bigfoot to evolve from. There's no skeletal remains. There's never been one hit on a road. Like there's just nothing there.
A
How about aliens? Are you an alien guy or.
B
No, I'm pretty into aliens, yeah.
A
Do you like do any work or research and that?
B
No, no, not at all. I just, I think it's. I think it's crazy to assume that we're the only life in the universe. I think that's insane now. I don't think there's like little green men floating around in spaceships like living under the sea or anything, but I think to think that we're the only living, this is the only planet that houses life in an infinite number of planets is just bonkers crazy.
A
You think aliens have been here already? Because there's a lot of not evidence. But like in the Egyptian times and stuff like that, all the paintings and.
B
I feel like there's a good chance that even pre human time something may have been here, whether that was aliens or civilizations that evolved before us or something like that. But I. I don't know. I'm a wildlife biologist. It's like outside of my realm. I just think, I just know that life can exist in other forms. I'll give you a perfect example. The bottom of the ocean. We always thought human beings since the beginning of our time understanding life, always thought that the only reason we can live is because of sunlight, right? Sunlight where the perfect proximity from the sun and the sunlight creates all life. All life on Earth is tied to the sun. It was only like 12 years ago now that they sent a submarine down to some deep sea volcano. And there's an entire ecosystem, not one or two species, but entire ecosystems thriving. Do that never get any sunlight entirely based off of hydrothermal vents. So like hot water coming out of the sea ocean and they're like, oh, life here has involved evolved completely independently of sunlight. And we didn't know that. And we just found like 7,000 new species living down here. It's basically like a whole nother planet. So everything we've ever understood up until that point about life is required for our planet to be a certain distance from the sun to create an atmosphere, blah, blah, is just like, no, that's not true. So, so when you look at Pluto and you go, oh, nothing could live at Pluto. Well that's the same as saying nothing could live at the bottom of the ocean. You know what I mean? It's like there's a whole new planet down there.
A
Earth is such a crazy place.
B
Crazy.
A
What's your theory on like life? Are you religious? Are you like science based?
B
I'm not religious at all. I, I think when you die, you die. But the only thing that I really believe in is karma. I think if you plan to do good in the world and put good out there, you get rewarded. I think the reason I've been successful is because I have given up countless relationships, friendships, money, everything to try and serve a higher purpose of conservation and save animals. And I swear that's the reason that I have a happy life and I have been financially successful because I've given everything to this one thing.
A
I would say that's true for business and success too. I think if you set out with a goal to just do what you're best at and do that to the best of your ability, or if it's us, just worry about making people laugh. Yeah, the money always comes. That was all always. Our strategy too. I think if you focus on that, it always works. Right.
B
What's your standpoint on religion? I've never asked you.
A
I believe in God. Yeah, I just think that, like, I don't know, I think this Earth is too crazy, too beautiful. Just like it just seems like someone created all this. Like there's just too much insane things like in terms of like natural beauty. Like when you see like a sunset or like when we're on the island, we see like we look out at 5am and we see a fucking double rainbow with dolphins jumping in. I don't know. It's just like.
B
Yeah.
A
I don't see how that could be an accident.
B
No.
A
It seems like someone, like. It's just too beautiful to be an accident.
B
I love that.
A
I don't know.
B
I mean, the world is perfect.
A
There's no. There's no evidence, but. No, it's like, I don't know.
B
Doesn't matter.
A
It's interesting too, how, like, humans, we think we're so smart, but, like, also no one can kind of claim how we got here. Like, we don't even know.
B
No, we know. We know very little, I feel like.
A
Which kind of shows how dumb we are at the same time. Right?
B
It really does. Yeah. And. And what a blip of time we've been here for. If you think about the Earth is millions of years old, or if you are, you know, very religious. 2,000 years old, whatever. 4,000 years old. But no matter how you slice it, humans have been here for like a blip of time. Fucking iPhones weren't around when we were kids.
A
Yeah.
B
You know what I mean? And now it's like our whole life's on that thing. Like, it's like we've happened like that.
A
What's your ultimate goal with everything you're doing? And, like, where do you see. Do you see yourself ever, like, retiring? Or do you think you'll just do this till you're. Till you drop dead?
B
Like, David attenborough is, what, 94, 96 now? And this is all he does. I mean, I can't imagine ever not doing this, to be honest. But every day feels like work to me. And at the same time, no days feel like work.
A
Yeah.
B
So I don't. I'm not like, oh, I get home at 9pm and I'm like, what a stressful day. I'm exhausted. I have plenty of those days. But then I wake up the next day and by 9am I'm like, I got to go back to doing that thing. I love it. I don't ever see retiring. I love doing what I'm doing. My ultimate goal, I used to be like, I'm going to change the world. I'm going to save all these species. I actually sounds terrible. I'm probably never said this out loud. I do still care about that. I still want to save species as much as I can. My ultimate goal is just to have a kid, which happens to me. It happens to me every day of my life. A kid, a student in school, an old Grandma something go. Hey, because of you, I now care more about animals. That's it. If every. If every person that I can touch, as many people as I can touch as possible, decide that they're going to like animals a little bit more, fall in love with wildlife a little bit more. Once you care about something, you want to protect it, and once we all want to protect it, it'll change the world. So all I care about at this point in my life is turning those individuals into people that care.
A
That's dope. I think you're doing a great job.
B
Oh, thanks, man.
A
All right, well, we appreciate you, Forest, and we just want to say thank you too, to Mr. Ambani. This trip so far, and it's not even done yet, we still have. We're going to a wedding Friday. We're going back to Mumbai. We have so much planned. We just want to say thank you so much. India has blown away my expectations. Like every. When we posted we were coming here, everyone's like, why are you going there? Why are you going there? Like, no one understood. And I think until you come and, like, see it and, like, meet the people, like, the people are so nice. Amazing, amazing people. I think you just got to come and experience it. And then, Vantara, you guys just gotta wait for the Nelk video to come out because what you're seeing here is just a little taste, but we're filming an entire Nelk India video that has everything in it. It'll probably be out the end of February. So thank you so much. And Forest, we appreciate you. I mean, this opportunity's been insane anytime, and I feel like, yeah, Forest is pretty much a Nelk boy now. So we have, like, two more videos playing.
B
One in, like, a month.
A
We have one in a month. We won't say what it is. It's kind of similar to our bachelor video. It's another spin off of, like, a reality show. And then are we doing Antarctica in November?
B
I'm. I'm working on it. I'm working on it.
A
So we're just going to keep doing these adventures with Forest. We love him. He's like a Nelk uncle as well. Honorary Nelk boy. And we're going to have some fun this year. We appreciate you, bro.
B
I'm so stoked you're here.
A
Let's get it. And really, really quick before we get into it, boys. Fullsend.com we have some brand new pieces. We have hoodies. We have matching sweatsuits. I love the sweatsuits. When I travel, I wear them all the time. We have new ufc, full send. Shit. We just did a big restock and a revamp. So go to fullsend.com. cop a piece. I recommend the sweatsuits.
B
I love them.
A
Like I said, I wear them all the time. The matching sweats, I don't travel without them. They're super, super comfy. You can melt in them. So go to fullsend.com. grab a piece. Let's get into the pot.
Full Send Podcast Episode 146: Featuring Forrest Galante
Released on February 8, 2025 by Shots Podcast Network
The episode kicks off with the hosts expressing excitement over their unique podcast setup, hinting at an extraordinary experience awaiting listeners. [01:07]
Host A: “This might be the craziest podcast setup that we've ever done, right?”
Forrest Galante (B): “I'm really jealous because I want to do one of my pods in the central viewing gallery.”
Forrest introduces listeners to Vantara, a premier wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in India, founded by the renowned entrepreneur Anatombani. The facility is lauded for its comprehensive approach to wildlife conservation, housing animals rescued from around the globe.
Forrest Galante: “Ventara is the world's largest wildlife rescue and rehab facility. Every animal here has been rescued from all corners of the globe.” [04:01]
The hosts share their awe at the diversity of animals they've encountered, including tigers, lions, bears, and elephants, highlighting the facility's significant impact on animal welfare.
Host A: “We've seen, I mean today we saw tigers, we saw lions, we saw bears, we saw elephants.” [04:01]
Forrest delves into his professional journey, detailing his transition from a field biologist to a media-savvy conservationist. His passion for wildlife led him to pivot from traditional biology roles to creating engaging media content aimed at raising awareness about conservation.
Forrest Galante: “I made the jump from that to like, full on media, which is what, you know, I do. Conservation, communication now, basically.” [09:24]
He recounts his first foray into television through the reality show "Naked and Afraid," where his unique approach of engaging with wildlife rather than succumbing to the show's challenges garnered significant attention.
Forrest Galante: “I was like, out catching snakes and showing them the camera while my own snake was hanging out. And then after that happened, I was like, all right, that reached 4 million people.” [09:30]
The conversation shifts to the intricacies of producing wildlife content. Forrest shares insights into the demanding nature of filming with wild animals, emphasizing the patience and dedication required to capture compelling footage.
Host A: “Like, let's say some of the craziest stuff you filmed. How long do you have to like sit there and wait for like a shot Sometimes?” [14:09]
Forrest Galante: “The guys who do like the BBC stuff will sit for like six, seven weeks to get a shot.” [14:35]
He contrasts his approach with traditional methods, opting for more active engagement with wildlife rather than passive observation, which often results in higher production costs but more dynamic content.
Forrest Galante: “I'll have to like go up the mountain and find the thing. And that's, that's harder.” [14:41]
Forrest recounts several harrowing experiences that illustrate the unpredictability and danger inherent in wildlife conservation work.
Encounter with Sea Snake Venom:
While milking sea snakes for venom potency testing, Forrest accidentally got venom on his fingers and feared he had contaminated his eyes, leading to intense anxiety until he realized he was unharmed after a restless night.
Forrest Galante: “I was like, dude, off. And I put my fingers in my eyes like this, and I thought I still had the venom on my fingers... I just woke up the next morning.” [16:03]
Lightning Strike Incident:
During a Garmin Watch commercial shoot in the Everglades, Forrest was struck by lightning, leaving him with lingering sensations and soreness.
Forrest Galante: “My whole, like, legs went like jelly... I had the taste of metal in my mouth for like a week.” [17:34]
Shark Encounter:
Forrest shares a terrifying encounter with a 17-foot tiger shark in the Maldives, narrowly escaping a fatal attack by instinctively protecting his head.
Forrest Galante: “She was just there to bite. And as I did that and pushed her head up, I somehow had my hand in a good spot to close her jaw from the bottom and push her head up... Just luckily didn't take my head off.” [23:55]
The episode highlights Forrest's collaborations with prominent figures like Joe Rogan and Anatombani, fostering a community passionate about wildlife conservation.
Forrest Galante: “We'll just keep pushing those shots. It's way more fun than doing Discovery Channel show.” [31:28]
He describes how mutual interests in wildlife have forged strong friendships, enabling them to work together on various conservation projects and media endeavors.
Forrest Galante: “He's just like a very leveled headed down to earth guy... we're talking about one thing and so it brings us all together.” [05:28]
Forrest and the host engage in deep philosophical discussions, touching upon topics like the existence of aliens, the complexity of life, and the essence of human understanding.
On Aliens:
Forrest Galante: “I think it's crazy to assume that we're the only life in the universe. I think that's insane now.” [37:56]
He draws parallels between undiscovered life forms on Earth and the potential for extraterrestrial life, emphasizing the ever-evolving understanding of life's possibilities.
On Life and Religion:
Forrest Galante: “The only thing that I really believe in is karma. I think if you plan to do good in the world and put good out there, you get rewarded.” [39:59]
The conversation also delves into the beauty and complexity of Earth, with the host expressing a belief in a higher power due to the planet's intricate natural wonders.
Host A: “I believe in God... it's too beautiful to be an accident.” [40:50]
Forrest articulates his unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation, eschewing the idea of retirement in favor of continuous engagement with his passion. He outlines his ultimate goal of inspiring others to care about animals, thereby fostering a global movement toward conservation.
Forrest Galante: “If every person that I can touch, as many people as I can touch as possible, decide that they're going to like animals a little bit more... it'll change the world.” [42:13]
He discusses upcoming projects, including Shark Week episodes and unconventional conservation efforts like managing the invasive hippo population in Colombia by performing field surgeries.
Forrest Galante: “We were building these, like, pretty shitty bomas, and bomas collapse. It's crazy.” [34:30]
As the episode draws to a close, the hosts express gratitude toward Forrest and Anatombani for their hospitality and the enriching experiences in India. They tease future content, including a Nelk India video and additional adventures, underscoring the ongoing collaboration and shared passion for wildlife conservation.
Host A: “India has blown away my expectations... what you're seeing here is just a little taste, but we're filming an entire Nelk India video that has everything in it.” [43:27]
Forrest reciprocates the appreciation, reinforcing the bond formed through their shared endeavors.
Forrest Galante: “I'm so stoked you're here.” [44:36]
The episode concludes with a nod to upcoming projects, leaving listeners anticipating more exciting content on future Full Send Podcast episodes.
Vantara's Impact: Vantara stands as a beacon of comprehensive wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, significantly contributing to global animal conservation efforts.
Forrest’s Dedication: Forrest Galante's transition from traditional biology to media underscores his commitment to making wildlife conservation accessible and engaging to a broader audience.
Challenges of Wildlife Media: Producing wildlife content is fraught with challenges, from unpredictable animal behavior to the demanding nature of long-term filming expeditions.
Close Encounters: Forrest's vivid recounting of close calls with dangerous wildlife highlights both the risks and rewards of working intimately with nature.
Community and Collaboration: Building relationships with like-minded individuals and influencers amplifies the impact of conservation efforts, fostering a supportive and passionate community.
Philosophical Depth: The episode transcends typical podcast fare by delving into profound discussions about life, existence, and humanity's role in the broader ecosystem.
Future Aspirations: Forrest's relentless pursuit of conservation goals, coupled with innovative projects, promises continued advancements in wildlife protection and awareness.
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of Episode 146 of the Full Send Podcast, offering insights into Forrest Galante's remarkable journey, the operations of Vantara, and the broader implications of wildlife conservation in today's world.